Peter Hickman happy as Louth ace achieves four podiums on Imatra debut

After learning his way around the circuit during free practice and qualifying, Hickman lined up for his first ever race at Imatra on the PHR Performance Trooper Triumph for the first IRRC Supersport race in wet conditions.

He admitted he had never ridden the Triumph in the wet before so it was going to be a challenge for him.

Starting from the third row Hickman was soon up to third. The red flag halted the race for a crash further down field and a result was declared when heavy rain made the track too dangerous to continue and Hickman was awarded third place.

Once the rain abated the riders took their grid positions for the first IRRC Superbike race with Hickman starting from the third row.

He made a good start on the PHR Performance Superstock BMW decked out in FHO Racing colours and was soon up into fourth place with the top five pulling clear of the pack.

Eemeli Lahti passed him on the penultimate lap and on the final lap one of the front runners crashed which gifted Hickman fourth place at the flag.

The open Superbike race was to be a challenge for Hickman as qualifying was interrupted by rain and he was placed on row six in 16th place.

But he got a sensational start, making up 10 places on the first lap and three laps later he took third place. But again the red flag halted his progress and a result declared with Hickman awarded third place.

In the second IRRC Superbike race, which was delayed and reduced to six laps distance because of more heavy rain, Hickman started from the third row and was up into third place on the opening lap.

On lap three he moved into second where he remained to the chequered flag.

The final race was the 14 lap King of Imatra Superbike race and, although the track was wet, Hickman was full of confidence and slotted straight into second place behind Erno Costamo, who had won every Superbike race over the weekend.

Determined to make a race of it he stayed within a second of Costamo through the first half of the race before Costamo pulled the pin and upped the pace.

But Hickman was in a safe second place and was delighted to finish the weekend with another second place bring his haul to two thirds, two seconds and a fourth.

Hickman said: “To race against these guys with limited practice and not knowing the circuit with the weather the way it has been its been super difficult but I am really happy with four podiums.

“The bikes have been great and the boys have been working hard behind the scenes so I am just happy to be here.

“I have to thank Eemeli Lahti who lent me a set of wets to get through today as we were not expecting quite so much rain.”